Jeremy Clarkson Returns to the Driver’s Seat with New Car Show Celebrating Combustion’s Glory

In a twist few expected after his apparent retirement from high-octane television, Jeremy Clarkson is strapping back into the driver’s seat. The legendary British broadcaster, known for his polarizing wit and unmistakable love of petrol-powered machines, is returning with a new car show—The Not Very Grand Tour. Alongside his iconic co-hosts Richard Hammond and James May, Clarkson promises a final, nostalgic ride through automotive history, celebrating a disappearing era in motoring: the age of the combustion engine.

The show, set to debut on Amazon Prime Video in April 2025, is not merely another chapter in the Top Gear or Grand Tour saga. Rather, it's a swan song—part retrospective, part love letter—to the very thing that launched their global careers: fast, loud, utterly impractical cars.

Revisiting the Road that Made Them

For millions of fans worldwide, Clarkson, Hammond, and May are more than presenters—they are the faces of a genre they helped redefine. While many speculated that 2024’s The Grand Tour: Sand Job marked their final road trip together, Clarkson’s announcement confirms there’s still one more tank of fuel left.

The upcoming show, The Not Very Grand Tour, takes a documentary-style approach with heavy doses of the trio’s signature humor. But this time, the adventure isn’t across Namibia or Vietnam—it’s down memory lane. From roaring V8 engines to disastrous drag races and ludicrous stunts, the series will blend new on-screen material with previously unseen footage from their decades of globe-trotting misadventures.

"We've spent half our lives getting lost, breaking things, and somehow surviving it all. It felt wrong not to say goodbye properly," Clarkson said in a recent interview.

A Combustion Engine Eulogy

Perhaps the most poignant aspect of this new venture is its thematic core: the slow death of the internal combustion engine. As the automotive world races toward electrification, Clarkson’s show intends to pause and reflect—not on what’s coming, but on what’s being left behind.

“There’s a soul in those engines,” Clarkson remarked. “EVs may be quicker, cleaner, and quieter, but they lack the lunacy. No smell of petrol. No fear of explosion. No character.”

Each episode will explore a different facet of petrol-powered life, from iconic classic cars to the most absurd machines ever built. Expect segments dedicated to Clarkson’s favorite sports cars, May’s more philosophical musings, and Hammond’s usual knack for crashing things in spectacular fashion.

Behind the Scenes: Familiar Faces, New Perspectives

The project reunites the team with director Phil Churchward, a long-time collaborator who helped shape Top Gear’s golden years and The Grand Tour’s early success. Churchward described the project as “a blend of storytelling, mischief, and tribute—a genuine farewell to an era.”

Interestingly, The Not Very Grand Tour won’t just lean on nostalgia. According to insiders, the show features more reflective conversations among the trio—looking not only at the cars they've driven but how the world around them has changed.

May, often the show's thoughtful counterweight, reportedly shares deeper views on sustainability, shifting values in car culture, and the tension between progress and tradition. Hammond, for his part, emphasizes the emotional bond people have with their cars. "Your first car is like your first love," he says in one teaser clip. "You never forget how it made you feel—even if it nearly killed you."

Not Just a Goodbye, But a Hand-off?

While The Not Very Grand Tour may serve as a send-off, the franchise itself might not be parked permanently. Rumors swirl that Amazon is already considering successors—chief among them, viral sensation Francis Bourgeois. Known for his quirky trainspotting videos and mechanical engineering chops, Bourgeois is being quietly positioned as a potential future face of The Grand Tour spinoffs.

It’s a move that signals generational change: the petrolheads may be bowing out, but new voices—possibly greener, quirkier, and more internet-native—are preparing to take the wheel. Whether fans embrace that transition remains to be seen.

Clarkson’s Broader Return to TV

Interestingly, Clarkson’s reappearance on The Not Very Grand Tour is not his only foray back into the public eye. In early 2025, he made a surprise appearance on Car SOS, a popular restoration show on National Geographic. There, he helped surprise a deserving car owner with a restored Land Rover Discovery—an emotional, genuine moment filmed at Clarkson’s now-famous Diddly Squat Farm.

For a man often branded as brash and controversial, the episode showcased Clarkson’s softer side. Host Tim Shaw called the experience “refreshing,” praising Clarkson’s warmth and generosity. “He was funny, of course—but also surprisingly emotional,” Shaw said.

A Legacy Written in Rubber and Oil

Jeremy Clarkson’s return isn’t about reclaiming the spotlight. It’s about honoring a legacy—the kind written in tire smoke and oil spills, laughter and occasional disaster. His partnership with Hammond and May has endured longer than most television marriages, evolving with each series but never losing its spark.

With The Not Very Grand Tour, the trio offers fans a rare blend of closure and celebration. It’s not just a farewell to roaring engines and gearhead excess—it’s a heartfelt thank you to the audience that made it all possible.

As Clarkson put it: “This is the last lap. Not a victory lap. Just one final, slightly reckless, deeply sentimental burnout.”